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Martin Raymond - Before Brands Hatch


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#1 Jager

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Posted 02 October 2014 - 16:27

Having recently acquired a model of one of Martin Raymond's cars, I was interested to learn more about his racing career. There are already a couple of threads on TNF concerning the tragic accident at Brands Hatch in 1980 :

 

http://forums.autosp...martin-raymond/

 

http://forums.autosp...martin-raymond/

 

However, my primary interest is in the period prior to Brands Hatch and his involvement at Le Mans. A few of the questions I have are :

 

1) Fisons Sponsorship

 

How did a financial advisor / amateur driver end up securing significant sponsorship over much of his career (1974 - 75, 1978 - 79) from a major multinational fertilizer company ? I read here that the Chief Executive of Fisons, Sir George Burton had a motorsport background :

 

http://forums.autosp...rton-1916-2009/

 

Am I correct in thinking Martin Raymond was the only driver to be sponsored by Fisons and if so, did Raymond and Burton have a specific connection through family or business ?

 

2) 1978 Le Mans and the Kremer Bros

 

It appears Raymond secured a deal to lease a 935 from the Kremer Bros for Le Mans in 1978. This would appear to be a significant step up from his efforts at the time. I'm assuming a deal was struck at the Silverstone 6 hours, weeks before Le Mans where the Porsche #930 890 0022 that Raymond drove at Le Mans finished 2nd. It would seem a big call for the Kremers to entrust this car to Raymond ?

 

At scrutineering, the car was presented with just Raymond's name on the doors. Did Raymond contract the other two drivers ("Steve" and Mike Franey), or were they provided by Kremer ? Can anyone identify Martin Raymond in this picture from scrutineering :

 

http://i15.photobuck...zps073841a1.png

 

3. 1978 Le Mans and Simon Phillips

 

After the engine failed on the Kremer Porsche, Raymond was able to jump into the Lola T380 of Simon Phillips with whom he had driven at Silverstone a month earlier. Was Raymond cross entered in the Lola prior to the race, or was this a last minute deal negotiated in pit lane with Phillips after the Porsche failed ?

 

4. 1980 Le Mans

 

At the time of his passing, did Martin Raymond have plans to return to Le Mans in 1980 ?

 

Thanks for any insight you can provide.



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#2 Trevail

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Posted 02 October 2014 - 20:43

Sir George Vernon Kennedy ‘Bunny’ Burton (1916 - 2009) did indeed have a history of racing. It is reported that he raced a Frazer Nash at Brooklands before the war and he definitely raced an Allard at Fersfield in April 1951 and a little Fiat saloon at the June meeting. He twice entered the R.A.C Rally and each time finished in last place, but as he said “ It was something to finish at all”. I was told that he was responsible for Fisons sponsoring a Porsche at Le Mans but when and who the driver was I do not know.

 

 

 

 

There was a J. E. A Fison (Brooklands Riley) who took part in the E.C.M.C races at Snetterton on the 25 April 1953, I have no idea whatsoever if he was connected to the company.

 

 

I trust this may be some help.

 



#3 Trevail

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Posted 03 October 2014 - 08:33

Having taken the time to read through Jager's posting properly I now realise that I have already provided much of this information in the past, worryingly I have no recollection of doing this and I apologise if I have muddied the waters.

 

Leigh Trevail.